The Greek overlords of  metal have finally returned in 2016 with their  latest offering – one that is nothing short of a beautiful, eerie masterpiece. Famous for inculcating the most mystical aspects of the occult and combining it with their unorthodox style of extreme music, Rotting Christ continue to prove they’re undeniable supremacy when it comes to creating music that defies any sort of label,  and obliterating the masses with sheer passion for what they do. Metal Obsession had the honour of an in-depth chat with the charming Sakis Tolis, guitarist, vocalist,  one of the founding members of the band and just all-round nice guy.We discussed the new album ‘Rituals’, the inspiration behind it’s beginnings, the band’s amazing versatility in music and so much more. 

SAKIS TOLIS – ROTTING CHRIST

Greeting me as an old friend ( yes, I died) , Sakis was a little out of the weather but still powered through his cold, ” It’s now or never my friend. It is certainly a stressful time because I am doing all the promo for our new album and waiting for it to be released. However, the first feedback we have received has been very positive and we are excited for our album to reach all the people out there – it makes me relieved.” Toning down the fangirl-ing was not on the agenda as I declared that I had listened to the album atleast 50 times, ” Thank you very much, I am very happy to hear that! We’ve been getting some good feedback. But you cannot satisfy everyone in this life”, he continued as we spoke about responses that the new album has been receiving, ” but the majority of people who have listened to album have appreciated it. It’s quite a different album in a few ways and it’s a really good step forward for Rotting Christ as a band, so we’re happy.”

Thematically, Rotting Christ are the masters at creating albums filled with music that stimulates your brain while leaving it to mosh around in your skull simultaneously, and my curiosity evoked the question of ‘why rituals?’. ” Before I start writing new stuff, I first talk with myself and I try to find some undiscovered place, deep inside me. This is where the concept of ‘Rituals’ arose. For me, rituals represent sublime devotion. It’s a very important part of life – when I saw ‘rituals’, I am not referring to the sacrificing of animals or people, but more as a kind of meditation for me. Thus, in my opinion, we have created a very dark album that is more mature, and is true to the spirit of rituals from different parts of the world. You cannot hear many guitar solos and fast,heavy riffs but you will hear many strange languages, weird concepts and music that is truly Rotting Christ. ”

To me this album represents something that reveals how rituals are viewed from the eyes of different cultures which Sakis agreed to, “This is exactly right and what we wanted. Our main concept as a band to create music a concept that can help you escape from everyday life. There’s no specific colour in our lives we don’t like colours so we just write music to escape. It’s a precious thing to us.” “It is a nightmare sometimes and it is quite difficult ” he admits when talking about the writing and recording process, ” but everything is forgotten when you come up with an idea. I’m the only composer and it has taken me one and a half years for this. I like to be isolated and I like very much to escape from this world, and music is the way I express the dark side of my soul.” True as this is, musically, Rituals feels like an ode to the history of Rotting Christ , a band that has crossed genre-defining boundaries, survived incessant criticism and has against all odds, undeniably carved a niche in the metal world that they can call their own. ” Rotting Christ still exists today because of our passion for music. We’ve had a few line up changes but this does not phase us. We do continue to maintain some of our signature sounds, but now I feel we have evolved further from when we started as a black metal band – this is seen on Rituals which is one of our darkest albums. ”

The placement of the tracks is almost too perfect on the album as it begins on a heavy and prolific note but progressively tones down with an overall soundscape that will draw you in and send chills down your spine – it’s addictive. ” This is exactly right. We start with the fast songs and then slow down as the music gets more doomy and atmospheric. This is a logical process as I am now 44 and cannot play as fast as I used to. Of course there are ways to do it but that’s what the new kids do. true to our spirit, we create music that fits better with our age. With over 200 songs in my career, creating new music is always a challenge I enjoy. It’s not that easy to follow this very extreme way but like I said, we are still here and will continue to follow our own way of music and creation.” So how does Sakis perceive their new album? “Occult, Esoteric, Rituals. This is what it is.”

Having listened to the new album abundantly as well as all of Rotting Christ’s discography, there’s always a sense of mysticism and a hypnotic feel that draws me into the music – as well as spark an undying curiosity to unveil one of their cryptic messages. But what’s even more special about ‘Rituals’ is the fact that there are not one or two but six different languages used. “After 13 albums and over 200 songs in my career, doing something new is always important. I love to read so I take my guitar and just start writing new music. This is how I work. For instance, I wanted to write a song on the last seven sentences of Jesus Christ on the cross and I could have easily done this in English. On the other hand, I set myself a challenge and said ‘let’s try and do this in Aramaic, the official language of Christ’. Translated, ‘Ze Nigmar‘ means ‘It is done’ and this holds so much significance to the concept of rituals.” On this note, I confessed to Sakis that the Sanskrit track ‘Devadevam’ was one in particular that touched me deeply, given that I come from two separate worlds of orthodox Hindu heritage and an ardent love for metal. For me, this track brought my two worlds together. ” This track is indeed special, I had to learn a lot about Indian culture as well as learn some Sanskrit which is an ancient Indian language. Kathir (Rudra) is an excellent musician and the track perfectly expresses a traditional ritual. It fits well with the ritualistic concept of the album.  India has a big history, a big philosophy and culture which we experienced when we played there last year and in inspired us.”

Still mesmerized, I prodded further to find out what inspired Sakis to inculcate the beauty of various ancient languages in the new record. ” Metal is not, just an ‘English’ thing. Sometimes, it is understood that if you play or listen to metal, it should be or it is only supposed to be in English. We are not English. It is not my mother tongue so it is difficult for me to express myself. However, having experienced so many travels around the world, I’ve seen for myself that all metal heads are more or less the same – metal is a worldwide phenomenon. Our music is meant for people worldwide and not for a specific set of people. We are multicultural and we are very happy that we have crossed this path. ” But was this difficult for the band? Clearly not. ” I take my writing and music very seriously – I take my role if I want to write something which is becoming what I want to express in my music. I do research, I read a lot and then go on to writing a song and for me, it is sometimes to read and express myself in other languages. Even if it is not my mother tongue, we put our own ideas but create something that will relate to people all over the world. ” Which they have successfully achieved, well done lads.

On being asked how the album cover ties together the concept of ‘Rituals’, Sakis replies, ” That is my brother Themis, the drummer. It’s simple, everything in Rotting Christ now is simple. It’s the face of a ritual from ancient Greece which is exactly what we wanted – simplicity. ” Creating a record of such magnificence is bound to come with a certain level of difficulty but Sakis has an answer to this. ” I have my own strategy on how to record – the last four albums were recorded by me so because of this, I have my own rules, and when you deal with yourself, it’s not that difficult. You do not have the outside influence of other people which helps us remain true to our own spirit and true to our soul. ”

30 years of creating some of the most glorious music in the world yet Rotting Christ remain a humble group of musicians who still have a lot to say. ” When I look back Prarthana, it’s a story. We were part of the second generation black metal blast and were one of the first bands that started this. We have done more than 1200 shows – this is the story of our lives. I consider Rotting Christ to be a mission; my mission – which is to play my music and share a message with the world. There were lessons taken from Non Serviam, for instance which made people happy. We are going to keep doing this for as long as we live because my goal is to die on stage. we’re still here, we’re strong and as true Greek warriors, we will always front-line the battlefield.” If that doesn’t get you up off your arse and a little inspired, then I don’t know what will.

Listen to the new Rotting Christ album – it will certainly be the best decision you’ve made all day. ‘Rituals’ is out on February 12th via Season of Mist.

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